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D. W. LANDVQIGT.

(No Model.)

BOOK BINDING.

.0. 459,294. Patented Sept. 8., 1891 lllllllll.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DORUS IV. LANDVOIGT, OF TASHINGTOBL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BOOK-BINDING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 459,294, dated September 8, 1891.

Application filed April 18, 1891. Serial No. 389,489. (No model.)

T0 all wiz/ont it may concern:

Be it known that I, DORUS W. LANDVOIGT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Binding; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

On account of their greater weight and the rougher usage to which they are necessarily subjected, blank and account books require stronger and more durable binding than ordinary printed books, and in order to obtain the necessary strength for large books when bound in the ordinary style, the bindingis of such character that it renders the volume stiff and inflexible to such a degree that it is difficult to open it far enough to permit freel and convenient access to the inner or adjoining edges of adjacent leaves. To remedy this diiliculty there have been devised what are commonly known as flexible-back books, inwhich the folded leaves are stitched along the folds to prepared ribs or stubs, (called guards,) which are then bound together and the cover applied thereto in any preferred manner. The lines of stitching by which the folded leaves or book-sections areattached to theguards form flexible connections or hinges, which permit the leaves to open freely and to lie down flat when opened.

My invention relates particularly to this class of flexible-back books; and it consists in the peculiar lconstruction of the guards, inthe manner of connecting the several guards together, in the manner of connecting the folios or book-sections to the guards, and in the manner of binding the guards and applying the cover, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

tached book-sections, showing the manner of folding the guards. Figure 3 is a transverse section of a series of guards and book-sections, showing the manner of putting the guards together; and Fig. 4 represents in transverse section an open book constructed according to my invention.

In this description the term book-section refers to the number of folded leaves attached to one guard, which number may vary with the thickness of the paper or the thickness of the guard, it being, of course, understood that each section should correspond in thickness with the thickness of the guard to which g it is attached.

A designates the guard,which is formed of a strip of any suitable fabric or material possessing the requisite strength and flexibility, or of two or more fabrics laid upon each other and pasted together, according to the thickness desired for the particular work to be done. These guards run the whole length of the book, and when folded and ready to be put together should be from three-eighths to one-half inch in width.A They are therefore cut out, as indicated in Fig. l, in straight strips nearly three times the width desired for the folded guard. lThe strips so cut are folded longitudinally, as indicated in Figs., 2 and 8, the two edges being folded in opposite directions on lines l 2 somewhat less than onethird the width of the entire strip from each edge, so as to make the two folded portions a c substantially equal to each other and somewhat less in width than the width of the center portion a2. l

B designates the book-sections, each made up of a suitable number of double or folded sheets,' each section being stitched along the line of its fold to one of the guards along the` line of one of its folds, as indicated in the drawings. The-book-sections B being stitched upon the guards A and the latter properly folded, they are put together by hooking the folded edges of the adjacent guards into or over each other, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, this operation being continued to any desired extent or until the required thickness is reached. The interhooked edges are glued as they are put together, so that each individual guard is held and supported by those adjacent to it on both sides, the outer IOO ones beingglued or otherwise fastened to the covers when the latter are put on.

The guards and sections being put together,

as described, .to make up a book, the latter is prepared for the covers in the following manner: A strip C, of cloth or leather, (preferably the latter,) of a Width somewhat greater than the thickness of the book, is glued or other- Wise fastened against the back edges of the guards A, (see Fig. 4,) with its edges projecting out at both sides. This holds the guards together and prevents them from opening or being pulled out. Now when the cover D, which is of ordinary construction, is pnt on the back edges of the sides are split open and the edges of the strip D are inserted into said openings and secured therein. This unites the guards with the cover and securely holds the parts together.

In putting up light work the strip D may be dispensed with, the guards in such case being sewed together at their back edges and backed with cloth or paper in the usual manner.

Owing to the extreme simplicity of my guards and the ease. and facility with which they are put together, the cost of books made in this Way is reduced to a minimum, while at the same time the maximum of strength and durability is attained.

It is to be observed that these guards require no special preparation, being cut from sheets of prepared material and simply folded, and that they can thus be produced f at much less expense than those in which a special construction and preparation are in- Volved; and herein lies the chief importance of my invention.

Having now described my invention, I claiml. The guard for flexible-back books here-j inbefore described, the same consisting of a strip of flexible material folded longitudinally, the two edges being folded in opposite directions toward the central part, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a flexible-back book, the combination,

with the folded leaves grouped and arranged in sections, as described, of a series of guards A, formed of flexible stripsfolded longitudinally, the two edges 0f each guard being folded in opposite directions toward the central part, the adjacent folds of adjoining guards being hooked into each other and fastened together, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. In a flexible-back. book, the combination,

strip C, fastened to the back edges of the folded guards and to the sides of the cover, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my'signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

DORUS YV. LANDVOIGT.

lVitn esses:

H. J. MoGoWAN, E. A. HOLL. 

